The invention relates to promoters and usage thereof.
Historically, the genus Monascus has been wildly used as food additives in China and Asiatic countries. The fermentate is obtained as scarlet to purple red grains which have the original rice grain structure well preserved. In addition, a health promoting effect is ascribed traditionally to the product. The application of Monascus in the rice wine manufacture is due to its high content of alpha-amylase which promotes the conversion of starch into glucose. Scientific investigations have confirmed pharmacological effects of Monascus fermentate such as Monacolin K, Mevinolin, and the like. The preservative effect of Monascus fermentate has also been confirmed.
Studies in this field have focused on the gene products of Monascus spp., an increasing interest is that the Monascus EST database may provide more information for recombinant DNA technology.